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Tag Archives: contact combat

We are all more or less familiar with the diverse world of the martial arts. Karate, Kung-Fu, kickboxing, Aikido, Ju-Jitsu they have all been a major part in one blockbusting movie or another. Millions of people have flocked to the movie theaters to watch Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jean-Claude Van Damme and a whole myriad of action heroes to mop the floor with the bad guys using some of the martial arts mention above. But in the last 20 or so years there has been a new wave among the different combat systems that has started gaining followers among all the corners of the world. I am talking about Krav Maga and it is here to stay. Krav Maga was developed in Israel by Imi Lichtenfeld who was the Chief Instructor for Physical Fitness and Krav Maga in the Israeli Defense Force School of Combat Fitness. Its name literally means “contact combat” in Hebrew. It is used extensively by the Israeli Army, Mossad and for a number of years now from the CIA, FBA and other law enforcement agencies in the US and several other countries. Krav Maga’s philosophy emphasizes on aggression and efficient and quick elimination of all threats. The most basic principle of this combat system is finishing the fight as quickly as possible and therefore all the attacks are aimed at the most vulnerable parts of the body. Another key feature that sets apart Krav Maga from the rest of the martial arts crowd is the use that is put in the surroundings of the practitioners. Anything can be and it is used as a weapon. Major part of the training includes training of punches, low kicks, throws and takedowns, ground fighting, many different defense techniques, gun, knife and club defenses. Because its practicality and focus on real life events Krav Maga is becoming more and more popular among bodyguards, law enforcement officers, and the general public. Krav Maga schools are appearing almost everywhere on the globe and more and more people are taking up Krav Maga training. Big part of the popularity of the martial art is due to the work of organizations like the European Federation of Krav Maga, IKMF, KMG and to its featuring in movies, TV series and video games. Another important reason for its popularity is the fact that it is used extensively by organizations that had grown to be household names like the CIA, FBI or Mossad. Whatever the reasons for its ever more rising popularity Krav Maga has joined and it is a worthy member of the family of the martial arts.